Scull Shoals, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Scull Shoals is a ghost town
in northwestern Greene County
, Georgia
, United States
.
The ruins of Scull Shoals Mill village are located halfway between Athens
and Greensboro
on the Oconee River
, just north of where Georgia State Route 15
now crosses the river. Recent archaeological findings and historical documents point to prehistoric Indian occupation, then the site of Ft. Clarke built in 1793 during the Oconee Indian War with the Creek Indians. The location after the Revolutionary War was settled by pioneers rewarded for military service with Headright grants for land. A saw mill and grist mill were built and operated by Zachariah Sims and partner Thos. Ligon around 1800. Soon,both men built and operated the first paper mill in Georgia from 1810 - 1814 until the end of the War of 1812 and drought stopped paper production. Scull Shoals was the site of a thriving agri-industrial community with a regional presence by owner Thos. N. Poullain processing cotton into osnaburg cloth during the early to mid 19th Century. After the Civil War Scull Shoals Mill village suffered from outdated water powered textile processing equipment,lack of funding to replace aging equipment and fewer workers available. Naive cotton farming in the area caused massive soil erosion resulting in disastrous flooding in the 1841, 1887 that sent the town into further decline. In the 20th Century, Scull Shoals had become part of the Oconee National Forest and is a ghost town
of ruins, including the foundations and walls of several buildings. The Friends of Scull Shoals organization maintains the site in partnership with the Forest Service and conducts tours and festivals at the site. Additional information can be found in the book "Scull Shoals-The Mill Village That Vanished in Old Georgia,"
by author and tour guide, Robert Skarda
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in northwestern Greene County
Greene County, Georgia
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 3, 1786. As of 2000, the population is 14,406. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 15,662. The county seat is Greensboro...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The ruins of Scull Shoals Mill village are located halfway between Athens
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and Greensboro
Greensboro, Georgia
Greensboro is a town in Greene County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 3,238 at the time of the 2000 U.S. census. This town is the county seat of Greene County.-Geography:Greensboro is located at .According to the U.S...
on the Oconee River
Oconee River
The Oconee River is a river which has its origin in Hall County, Georgia, and terminates where it joins the Ocmulgee River to form the Altamaha River near Lumber City at the borders of Montgomery County, Wheeler County, and Jeff Davis County. South of Athens, two forks, known as the North Oconee...
, just north of where Georgia State Route 15
Georgia State Route 15
State Route 15 is a north–south route that transects the U.S. state of Georgia, east of its centerline. Its northern end is at the border of North Carolina just north of Dilliard; its southern end is at the Florida border just south of Folkston, where the actual highway continues southwards...
now crosses the river. Recent archaeological findings and historical documents point to prehistoric Indian occupation, then the site of Ft. Clarke built in 1793 during the Oconee Indian War with the Creek Indians. The location after the Revolutionary War was settled by pioneers rewarded for military service with Headright grants for land. A saw mill and grist mill were built and operated by Zachariah Sims and partner Thos. Ligon around 1800. Soon,both men built and operated the first paper mill in Georgia from 1810 - 1814 until the end of the War of 1812 and drought stopped paper production. Scull Shoals was the site of a thriving agri-industrial community with a regional presence by owner Thos. N. Poullain processing cotton into osnaburg cloth during the early to mid 19th Century. After the Civil War Scull Shoals Mill village suffered from outdated water powered textile processing equipment,lack of funding to replace aging equipment and fewer workers available. Naive cotton farming in the area caused massive soil erosion resulting in disastrous flooding in the 1841, 1887 that sent the town into further decline. In the 20th Century, Scull Shoals had become part of the Oconee National Forest and is a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of ruins, including the foundations and walls of several buildings. The Friends of Scull Shoals organization maintains the site in partnership with the Forest Service and conducts tours and festivals at the site. Additional information can be found in the book "Scull Shoals-The Mill Village That Vanished in Old Georgia,"
by author and tour guide, Robert Skarda